Shannon’s Journey

When I was growing up I always wanted to have a little girl and a little boy when I got married. Doesn’t everyone?? Well, I got two boys and I couldn’t have been happier. When my oldest son Sean (5) was not meeting his milestones in words and talking his doctor suggested he be put into speech therapy. It helped and he started to say more things. On the advice of his speech therapist I went to Danville to see a doctor she recommended. I had no clue why I was there, I just knew it took me 6 months to get an appointment so I was going. I sat in the small examine room while they took Sean into a separate room to ask him questions and do a few tests with him. The doctor and PA came back and told me my son had PDD-NOS. What?? I had no clue what they were saying and then I heard that dreaded word ..autism. I sat and thought my kid doesn’t flap his hands, yell or hit. How can this be?? They asked me if Sean had any brothers and I said yes but he’s only 2. Two weeks later in the same office my second son was also diagnosed. I cried all the way home from both doctors appointments and tried to figure out why? What did I do? What didn’t I do? Where do I go from here? The next morning remember laying in bed thinking I can just stay here or I could get up and help my boys in whatever way I could. I got up and put everything I had into getting them help they needed.

Brighter Journeys would like to introduce you to an organization called Hosts For Hospitals for anyone who goes to see specialists outside of our area. This program is perfect for people on a budget and is a great choice if the Ronald McDonald House is not an option.

One of our parents recently got to make use of the program for her son and she stayed with some lovely people while her son was at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. For more information about Jeannine Marie's visit to Philadelphia utilizing Hosts for Hospitals please feel free to contact Jeannine at www.facebook.com/jeannine.morrissey.9